The Odyssey (originally named The Jubilee Odyssey) is a giant steel inverted roller coaster located at Fantasy Island in Ingoldmells, near Skegness, Lincolnshire. Standing 167 feet (51 metres) tall and reaching top speeds of 62mph (101km/h), it is the tallest inverted roller coaster in the UK and Europe, pulling a intense maximum force of 4.8 G.
The Odyssey at Fantasy Island: The UK’s Tallest Inverted Coaster
When Fantasy Island first announced plans for the coaster in 2000, it was originally designed to stand at a staggering 265 feet (81 metres) tall with a 200ft vertical loop. Had those original plans proceeded, The Odyssey would have been the tallest inverted roller coaster in the world by a wide margin. Following noise and visual impact objections from local Ingoldmells residents, the plans were scaled down to 167 feet, still making it the joint third-tallest full-circuit inverted coaster in the world (alongside Banshee at Kings Island).
Built at a reported cost of £28 million (over £48 million in today’s money), The Odyssey holds the record as the most expensive single roller coaster ever constructed in the United Kingdom. Manufactured by Dutch ride builder Vekoma, it is a custom Suspended Looping Coaster (SLC), and the only custom SLC in the world featuring a completely bespoke layout and unique inversion sequence.
In an unusual eco-friendly engineering twist, the coaster’s massive lift hill motors and station brake systems were originally powered by a dedicated £4 million biomass generator, which converted local agricultural manure into methane gas to generate electricity.
Planning a trip to the Lincolnshire coast? Check out our dedicated Fantasy Island Offers Page for active wristband discounts, family vouchers, and visitor deals.
The Odyssey Statistics
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- Top Speed: 101 km/h (62.1 mph)
- Original Cost: £28m (Estimated cost today: £48.5m+)
- Track Length: 891m (2,924 ft)
- Height: 51m (167 ft)
- Tallest Drop: 43m (141 ft) at a 60° steep drop angle
- Manufacturer: Vekoma (Custom Suspended Looping Coaster / SLC)
- Designer: Stefan Holtman
- Type: Steel Inverted / Extreme Looping Coaster
- Lift Mechanism: Chain Lift Hill
- Inversions: 5 (124ft Vertical Loop, Cobra Roll [2 inversions], Sidewinder, Corkscrew / In-line twist)
- G-Force: 4.8 G
- Ride Duration: 2 mins 52 secs
- Trains: 1 train with 10 cars (20 riders per train)
- Minimum Height Requirement: 1.3m (Riders under 1.4m must be accompanied by an adult)
- Theme Park: Fantasy Island
- Year Opened: 25th May 2002 (as Jubilee Odyssey) / Renamed The Odyssey in 2011
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Design, Wind Valleying & Track Modifications
Due to its exposed position on the windy East Lincolnshire coastline, The Odyssey faced significant aerodynamic challenges during its debut 2002 season. Strong onshore sea breezes frequently caused the train to lose momentum and stall (valley) in the high elements.
To solve this during the 2002/2003 off-season, Vekoma engineers lowered several major track elements—specifically lowering the Horseshoe/Hammerhead turn, the Cobra Roll, and the Sidewinder inversion. Lowering the elements maintained train velocity throughout the circuit, successfully preventing further valleying. Today, the park enforces wind speed operational limits to ensure safe operation during adverse weather conditions.
Royal Opening & Colour Scheme History
The roller coaster officially opened on 25th May 2002 as The Jubilee Odyssey to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The grand opening ceremony was attended by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, who took one of the inaugural rides. The name was shortened to The Odyssey in 2011.
When the ride originally opened, it featured vibrant red track supported by white steel columns. In 2016, following the resort’s acquisition by the Mellors Group, The Odyssey received a complete cosmetic transformation, repainting the track a striking bright yellow with slate grey support columns.
Top 10 Listings
The Odyssey is featured across several of our popular theme park guide rankings:
Plan Your Visit to Fantasy Island
Explore our detailed visitor resources to help plan your trip to Fantasy Island Resort:
UK Roller Coaster Rides
If you enjoyed reading about The Odyssey at Fantasy Island, check out these other signature roller coasters operating at theme parks across the UK:
UK Record-Breaking Statistics
Discover where Fantasy Island’s coasters rank on our national leaderboards by visiting the Tallest Roller Coasters in the UK, the Longest Roller Coasters in the UK, the Fastest Roller Coasters in the UK, and our guide to UK Roller Coasters with the Most Inversions.
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